Sunday, January 20, 2013

Syria: Al-Moallem: Decision on Legitimacy in Syria Is in the Syrians' Hands, Political Program to Resolve Crisis Is Integral

Al-Moallem: Decision on Legitimacy in Syria Is in the Syrians' Hands, Political Program to Resolve Crisis Is Integral

Jan 20, 2013

DAMASCUS, (SANA)_ Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Walid al-Moallem, stressed that the political program for solving the crisis in Syria is integrated as it presents a solution through three phases, providing a fluent motion to the safe side of the country. In an interview with the Syrian TV Channel on Saturday, Minister al-Moallem pointed out that the program leads to a renewable Syria and blocks the road in the face of foreign initiatives that have started to emerge. "The program stems from the Syrian people's aspirations and fulfills their demands, as it also depends on participatory approach among all the Syrian components, and when negotiators reach a national charter it will be presented to a popular referendum. Hence, when a new constitution is set it will be also presented to a popular referendum, as new parliamentary elections are expected to be held," he said. "It becomes clear to most of the Syrians that what they are going through is a huge international conspiracy that the country has never encountered before, as it targets Syria's entity, infrastructure, community and ethics that have characterized the Syrians for decades," the Minister added. The Minister stressed on spreading the language of dialogue and respecting the others' viewpoint along with the role of the intellectuals which have not been manifested fully during the crisis. He stressed the importance of their role via the various media outlets in restoring the right Syrian ethical, social and historical values. Al-Moallem pointed out that the governmental committee will make intensive communications with all Syrian components including the national opposition inside and outside the country, pointing out that all those who reject foreign intervention and violence could communicate with the committee. "We depend on our people, and if support for violence or terrorism is not halted, that does not mean that a massive national dialogue will not be launched, but rather we should go on the way of solution," he added. Al-Moallem said that Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, led by the United States, are supporting, funding and arming terrorists in Syria, and that they work in the framework of an international plan against Syria with political, economic and military aspects. "We have no delusions that these countries will cease supporting terrorism, but if the violence doesn't stop, this doesn't mean that comprehensive national dialogue will not be held," al-Moallem reiterated. He pointed out that the political program for resolving the crisis in Syria is based on the concept of participatory approach, and does not move from the top to the base, stressing that the current government is responsible for carrying out the preparatory phase, with the national unity government becoming the result of national dialogue. Al-Moallem said that the preparatory phase in the political program will last for two to three months, and that the government will not play an active role in the national dialogue conference because the active role will be played by the society with its parties and political, social and religious forces. He pointed out that the national accord is a document produced by those who will participate in the national dialogue conference, and it's not a premade document, adding that it will guarantee the participation of the Syrian people in dialogue through approving the accord or not approving it. Regarding the mechanism of making sure of the adherence of all parties to controlling borders according to the items of the first phase, al-Moallem said that this issue is a message to the international community, particularly the United Nations, yet the mechanism should be agreed on by Syria. "If the regional sides and those on the ground showed readiness to halt violence, then the Syrian Army will stop its operations immediately, except for the self-defense case and for protecting popular and private properties." He clarified that the current government is responsible for implementing the preparatory stage because many opposition spectra will not participate in forming a transitional extended government in view of the current situation. The Foreign Minister pointed out that the government has convened twice and formed a sub-ministerial committee that has already held three meetings and started contacting the Syrian components and powers inside and abroad. Al-Moallem noted that the political program is the Syrian interpretation of the vague transitional period in the Geneva statement, stressing that there will be no discussion with anyone about anything outside this program. He highlighted that the new constitution will identify the powers of the new government and how it will be formed, whether it will be a third government or a national stability government that will shoulder heavy burdens, on top of which are rebuilding what has been destroyed during the crisis, compensating citizens who were affected and holding a massive national reconciliation conference for reaching social tolerance. Minister al-Moallem noted that the Russian principled stance stems from respecting the UN Charter and the rejection of foreign intervention in Syria's affairs, in addition to the adherence to Geneva Statement as being the basis of the solution. He said that the second Geneva Statement attempted to find a joint understanding of the ambiguous transitional stage in Geneva Statement, where no agreement was reached due to the U.S. side, as well as all the international countries involved in the conspiracy against Syria. The Minister added that Geneva Statement does not include any sign regarding the issue of the presidency, yet the U.S. side wants to involve it, nonetheless Russia rejected that through its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, who said that it is impossible, thus, they have not reached an agreement. He added that the UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi didn't come to Damascus with a project for a political solution; rather he adopted a position matching the ones of the US and the Arab Gulf which conspire against Syria, causing him to deviate from the nature his mission and move away from the principle of objectivity in mediation."The mediator between two sides does not adopt one proposal against another, but rather he/she attempts to combine through bridging between the two proposals," al-Moallem stressed.He pointed out that "the USA, which is thousands of kilometers away from Syria, and Qatar, which does not possess ten percent of the political program of Syria, are irrelevant to the Syrian situation, but rather they are attached to conspiring against Syria and the continuation of violence." Al-Moallem stressed that it's not permitted for anyone to slight the position of the presidency, affirming readiness to continue cooperating with Brahimi, adding that the latter's mission in the coming stage has become richer through the political program.He said that the Americans are the ones who lay the framework and the rest of their tools follow it, and that if the US actually wanted to stop violence in Syria it would have stopped. "The decision on legitimacy in Syria is in no one else's hands except those of the Syrian people," the Foreign and Expatriates Minister asserted. Al-Moallem said that Turkey's appointment of a "vali" for Syria's affairs uncovered the truth of Turkey's grasping plans for Syria and its role in supporting Syria, adding that since terrorism has no religion nor a homeland, it will eventually turn against its makers. "Nobody believes that Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ahmet Davutoglu, who stole the Syrian people's wheat, oil, industry and factories, are keen for the Syrians or their interests," the Minister said.He also said that the US placing of Jabhat al-Nusra on the list of terrorist organization is an ironic step and insufficient, because if it really wanted to combat terrorist, it would do that through counter-terrorism committee in the Security Council and ordered the European countries to include it in the European lists of terrorism.The Foreign Minister pointed out that Syria, as a country of confrontation and whose land is occupied, does not disclose any information about the weapons it has, and it informed the UN Security Council through a written letter that it will not use chemical weapons, if it possesses any, under any circumstances because Syria and the Syrian Army is defending the people against terrorism and it is unreasonable that an army fights against its people. "We warned against getting the Palestinians involved in the crisis through various means because this goes against their compass, which is the right of return," said al-Moallem.